Newsletter

Trinidad native dies in shooting at Tiger's Den

Kwasi Williams was gunned down by robbers early Monday at The Tiger's Den, an eastside Savannah nightspot.

Kwasi Williams came to Savannah from Trinidad about seven years ago to be closer to his father.

Early Monday morning, he was fatally shot by robbers at the eastside Savannah nightclub he managed.

Two men, each armed and wearing black clothing, barged into The Tiger's Den, 4429 Skidaway Road, about 4 a.m., two hours after closing, according to Savannah-Chatham police.

A fight ensued; gunfire erupted.

Williams, a manager at the club, was rushed to Memorial University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

He was 29 years old. He leaves behind a wife and three children, including a 7-month-old daughter.

"He was a real nice guy," Wilber Williams said of his son, one of 16 children. "His hobby was to play soccer. He used to train a lot in the park with friends. He was a real promising guy."

The assailants stole a car from one employee, police said. It was recovered not far from the scene.

Kwasi Williams had worked at The Tiger's Den about a year, said the elder Williams, an electrician who's lived in the United States for 21 years.

"He wanted to come here to meet his father," he said, "so I brought him."

Geri Williams, Kwasi Williams' stepmother, said he "was kind and friendly to everybody. He'd do anything for you.

"I still cannot believe someone would do that - he wasn't the type of person to get in a confrontation with somebody."

Police called twice

Metro police were at the nightspot just hours before the fatal shooting, responding to an anonymous report that gunshots had sounded in the area, said Gene Harley, metro police spokesman.

Officers were called at 12:41 a.m., and a witness reported that at least one occupant of a dark pickup had unloaded "several rounds in the air before speeding off," Harley said.

He said officers combed the area, finding several shell casings in the lot. There were no signs of property damage or injuries.

Harley said it is unknown whether the first call is connected to the slaying, the 10th reported by metro police this year.

"Police are actively investigating and following leads," he said.

Earlier problems

Monday's homicide was not the first time police had been to The Tiger's Den.

On Jan. 11, a months-long undercover investigation by the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and metro police culminated with the arrests of eight people on drug charges, said Roy Harris, commander of the narcotics team.

Harris said agents had conducted surveillance in and around the establishment, which he said entertains its largest crowds on Sunday nights.

"Drug sales were going on there," Harris said. "These people were selling dope in bathrooms, the parking lot. We were working more inside, but a lot of stuff was being taken on the periphery of the club."

Harris said it took "several times" for operatives to gain drug dealers' trust.

But, he added, nothing that investigators turned up indicated management was involved in the drug dealing.

The suspects who were arrested "were not directly related to the club," he said.

Liquor license spared

In March, after more allegations of drug activity arose, club owner Susan Lingenfelser went before the Savannah City Council in defense of the liquor license she has held since January 2005.

During the show-cause hearing, the council opted against a one-year probation and three-day license suspension.

However, Lingenfelser was made to present an operating plan to show how she would improve employee training and security.

Buddy Clay, city Revenue Department director, said Lingenfelser has made good on her end of the deal.

"We met with Ms. Lingenfelser and her counsel several times and got a plan," Clay said, adding that final versions of updated operation and security plans were provided April 14. "Specifically, we looked at her hiring procedures, her door controls, her surveillance equipment and how she was training her staff."

Lingenfelser declined to comment on Monday.

Clay added: "It's a very unfortunate incident, obviously. We're following up on it, and we'll continue to work with this business. We've found that they're certainly making an attempt to improve operations there and provide closer management and control."

POLICE CALLS

Savannah-Chatham police have made several visits to The Tiger's Den in recent years. The number of service calls for 2007, 2008 and so far in 2009 are listed below. Police on Monday were unable to provide information on what prompted these calls: